


Moving

by peachmilktea



Series: Alternative Methods [4]
Category: Assassin's Creed, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-12
Updated: 2013-04-12
Packaged: 2017-12-08 06:16:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/758047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachmilktea/pseuds/peachmilktea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Community' is defined, and Namine realizes the importance of ones real name. Even if you'll only ever say it privately.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moving

"You do not have to remain alone here, my community would welcome you." 

At her little table Namine paused, spoon in her bowl, a piece of bread floating in her soup, and blinked at him. There was a strange quality to his expression, nerves or an awkward glint that made her skin burst with options and possibilities, wild and half-formed ideas dancing in her mind. The silence extended as she quietly went out of control, and without a sound from her he went on. 

"Ellen is a skilled seamstress if you would like to perfect your skills I am sure she would make an excellent teacher-" 

"Would you still visit me?" Namine had never heard any kind of strength in her own voice, quiet as it remained. It was a presumptuous, selfish, stupid thing to ask. This wasn't the first time he had mentioned the place, she knew that it was where he lived and so of course he would be near by. If anything it would make their day-to-day visits, no matter how short or quiet, more frequent. Connor shifted against the wall, head bowed for a minute as he swept a hand through the short ends of his hair. 

"Yes."

Namine's smile was involuntary and maybe a little embarrassing once she realized it was there, still, she made no attempt to erase it. After so much time spent together neither of them could be hurt by such earnest feelings.

"All right, I accept."

-

Moving was more difficult than she could have anticipated. 

The first obstacle was providing an explanation for her lack of a family. Stumbling over herself, Namine offered the story that she had spent the last few nights pulling together. The British soldier's killed her parents after they had arrived here (from where, she never specified, but it seemed to quell the interest in her hair and pale skin) and left Namine alone. Multiple times, to different sets of warm, compassionate eyes Namine would buffer the lies with truth. Connor really had saved her, he had helped and visited her and invited here just the same as he had done with the other citizens. 

After the introductions there was the actual home itself, so grand to her that it made her previous residence feel like a tiny shack. Shifting her meager belongings from the old home to the new, grander one was the simplest part of the whole affair. Their welcome and the surprise of a new resident was timed perfectly, it seemed everyone was doing quite well and the celebration itself was in thanks for their various bounty as well as a welcoming party. 

More questions, dancing and laughing and drinking - Namine couldn't have been more grateful for Connor, who gently pulled her from the group when she was too flustered or overwhelmed. Namine feigned obliviousness, she pretended that the two of them were almost always granted a look or two from Terry and Godfrey or Catherine or Myriam and Norris. They whispered and giggled even as Namine stumbled over asking Connor for a dance, even though it became clear that neither of them knew how.

The only man that Namine did not meet that particular night was Achilles. Connor hadn't spoken too frequently about him, but she had a general understanding, enough to realize the importance of thanking him. By the time she found a chance to politely excuse herself from Maria and Prudence, Achilles was already leaving and Connor's hand wrapped around her arm gently, easing her attention to him naturally. 

"I wanted to meet him," The man who had raised Connor, the one who had given him that very name. 

"You will have a chance," Connor's voice was measured, stilled in a way she wasn't used to hearing. "The old man is difficult in his age." 

For a brief few seconds Namine faced the door that Achilles had left through, searching for his figure through one of the windows until she saw him walking with the priest. Even with the hundreds of things she found herself dying to tell that one man that she had never met, Namine relented and Connor let go of her arm. The skin where he had touched felt warmer and more important than the rest of her, a feeling she could never get used to but welcomed all the same. 

"All right." Casting a look to everyone else, Namine turned to face Connor, "Would they be upset if I left?" 

"Not at all." The round of goodbyes took another thirty minutes but Namine eventually stepped out of the Inn with Connor at her side. 

Once upon a time the sounds of the forest would have terrified her. Familiarity and experience cured that to a degree but it would impossible to feel anything but safe with Connor nearby. As they made it to her new home, there was no need to ask him if he would stay and visit with her a while longer. Through all the excitement and activity the amount of time she had actually spent alone with him was minimal and as wonderful as everyone was and even for how thankful Namine would always be, there was nothing like Connor. 

"Did you enjoy yourself?" He poses the question while settling into one of the chairs at her new table. Namine begins to make tea simply out of habit, retrieving two cups. 

"I did! Everyone is kind. It was just like you said." 

"I am glad." If it meant anything that she could hear his smile without turning to see it, Namine couldn't have guessed what. Instead she basked in the quiet that would sometimes pervade their time together. It was never uncomfortable or unsettling, in fact it was the opposite. She had grown used to Connor's intense observation, taking no offense or assumption from it. In return he seemed to accept her newfound obsession with drinking warm things. 

As she set his cup down, Namine found it in her to ask the question that had lingered in the back of her mind since they had clumsily introduced themselves, so long after they had already become acquainted and with no understanding of their place in the other's life. 

"What's your name?" 

Connor proceeded to give her that strange look again, half awkward and half uncertain. "What do you mean?" 

Sitting near him, Namine wrapped her fingers around her cup, and figured that this was only a natural response. The people here were all unique. Even those that had grown up in the same area could appear different based on things that Namine couldn't have ever understood when she had first arrived. 

"I mean … The name you were born with, was it really 'Connor'?" It could be the case, she supposed. Namine only knew that there was a gigantic gap between his childhood and his arrival here. It also was not any of her business if he chose not to tell her. Maybe this was no different.

Understanding her question, Connor's eyes widened minutely, his shoulders tense as she dared to look up at him. 

"Ratonhnhaké:ton." 

Namine refrained from making a face and quickly tried to debate how rude it might be to ask him to repeat that. Frowning gently, Namine replayed the word over in her mind before attempting to say it. 

"Ratonh-gayto-" 

"Ratonhnhaké:ton." 

His patience was outstanding, or maybe it really was easier to be called 'Connor'. But 'easy' wasn't the point, here "Ratonhnhaké:ton." 

The slight nod of his, an almost smile was immediately gratifying. "Exactly." 

She hadn't sad it as smooth and beautifully as he could but it was a start. 

Maybe it was a bit silly but Namine cleared her throat anyway, raising her glass slightly, "Well, it is nice to officially meet you, Ratonhnhaké:ton. My name is Namine, and it seems that I now live here. Thanks to you."


End file.
